This past July I wrote a letter to the fictitious MLB Office of Fandom Affairs for my website (SquareUpSports.com) I’ve been a San Diego Padres fan my whole life and grew up during the Ray Kroc ownership days. But after yet another disappointing losing season, I opted out of my lifetime contract and entered fan free agency. Frankly, I was tired of watching other fan bases celebrate a title year after year while I toiled as a Padre fan like a sad combination of Sisyphus and Job.

Just call it the business of being the San Diego Padres. The lone Padre 2018 All-Star is now a former Padre as Brad Hand and fellow bullpen mate Adam Cimber are headed to Cleveland to join the AL Central leaders.

Please allow me to start my story in June 1978. It was my seventh birthday. My parents had brought me a present and wanted to surprise me. So they told my younger sister not to tell me what it was. And since she was three years old and very obedient, she complied. She walked up to me and cheerfully told me, "We didn't buy you a baseball cap."

For those of us in San Diego, Trevor Hoffman is second only to the late Tony Gwynn as the face of San Diego Padres baseball. It isn't meant as a slight, it's just the way it is. If you told Hoffman that, he'd probably give you a big smile and agree with you.

That's what makes his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame special to this city. ​